Jose Andres To Open Two Las Vegas Restaurants

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
May 3rd 2010 at 8:01PM

Chef José Andrés, who was on 60 Minutes over the weekend (the interview with Anderson Cooper is after the jump), is headed to Las Vegas. Andrés, who already has even restaurants including one in Washington D.C. and one in Beverly Hills, will open two restaurants at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. One will be a tapas restaurant similar to his Jaleo restaurant. This restaurant will include a wood-fired pit for making paella, the traditional saffron rice and seafood dish made in a large shallow pan.

The other will be a new concept, a take on a Chinese and Mexican menu. This fusion restaurant will have tortilla makers up front and planned dishes like shumai wrapped in mango. The Washington Post reports that Andres has visited China and plans to go back for research several times the restaurant opens. Tonight Andrés is a contender for the James Beard Foundation's "outstanding chef" award in New York City.

The Cosmpolitan will features several other restaurants including Blue Ribbon by restaurateurs Bruce and Eric Bromberg; Comme Ca by Los Angeles chef David Myers; New York City's Estiatorio Milos by restaurateur Costas Spiliadis; Scarpetta and a new casual wine bar by chef Scott Conant; and the steakhouse STK from The One Group. The Cosmopolitan project is planned to open in December. Many are skeptical about the hotel's viability in a town already packed with luxe options. Fine dining will be a lure but Las Vegas is now host to many fine restaurants including those at the Wynn hotels and at CityCenter. As a recent BNET article pointed out, with tourism down the competition is fierce for less visitors and opening a billion-dollar hotel right now is a risky venture. The popular chef has his work cut out for him.

[via Las Vegas Review-Journal]

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Tags: chef, cosmopolitan, jose andres, las vegas, star chef